From the Idea to Weinviertel DAC
A brief historical review of the idea to a vintner’s bottle of Weinviertel DAC illustrates the success of Austria’s first designation of origin for wines with a distinctive, typical regional taste profile.
| Year | Evolution |
|---|---|
| 1994 | Austrian Wine Marketing Board (AWMB) discussion of consumers’ difficulty in understanding Austrian labels on the international wine market |
| 1996 | First AWMB proposal for more transparency on labels. The DAC concept is born. |
| 1997 | Broad discussions also at the National Vintner Association and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management (BMLFUW) after field trips abroad and guest lectures by international committees in Austria. |
| 1996/97 | Due to a low harvest volume, Grüner Veltliner from Hungary is listed at domestic food retailers catalysing discussion of the weaknesses of grape variety marketing. |
| 1997/98 | Market studies of wine regions and consumer expectations and scientific work on the DAC theme are conducted. |
| 1999 | Robert Parker criticises Austrian labels as “unreadable and confusing”. |
| 1999 | The EU market regulation 1999 provides for the establishment of industry organisations. |
| 1999 | Wine Law 1999 – adaptation to community law, creation of the wine-growing areas Niederösterreich and Burgenland and the wine regions Weinland Österreich and Bergland Österreich |
| 2000 | Wine Law Amendment 2000 – framework for industry organisations |
| 2001 | Industry organization regulation enters into force and allows for the establishment of national and regional wine committees. |
| 2001 | Constituent meeting of the National Wine Committee |
| 2001 | Decision of the National Committee to establish regional committees in Thermenregion, Carnuntum, Traisental, Wachau, Burgenland and Weinviertel. |
| 2002 | Decision of the National Committee to establish regional committees in Kremstal, Wien and Kamptal. |
| 2002 | Wine Law Amendment 2002 – the term DAC is legally anchored in wine law. |
| 2002 | Weinviertel Regional Committee applies for Weinviertel DAC at the National Committee. |
| 2002 | National Committee approves application for Weinviertel DAC. |
| 2003 | The DAC regulation “Weinviertel” enters into force. |
| 2003 | Weinviertel DAC is presented to the wine world as the first Austrian DAC on 1 March 2003! |
| 2010 | The “Weinviertel DAC Reserve” regulation enters into force on 22 February 2010. After 15 March 2010, the first vintage of Weinviertel DAC Reserve can be submitted. |
| 2017 | 15 years Weinviertel DAC! |
